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2008-06-19  JOHNS CREEK HERALD | North Fulton mayors tepid about economic development job
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| | by Hatcher Hurd | |  |
June 25, 2008
www.northfulton.com
ROSWELL -- The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce came back to the north county mayors with some hard numbers for funding economic development, but the mayors seemed no warmer to the idea than when they first heard it three months ago.
Chamber President Brandon Beach and Vice President Tedra Cheatham have been trying to convince the North Fulton Municipal Association it is in their communal interest to raise the ante and fund another economic development position in the chamber.
They were charged by the mayors to come up with a hard number, which they did, $250,000, to fund the position. Then they wanted to hear how the cities would be asked to pay. The chamber plan is to ask the cities (excluding Mountain Park) to pay on a per capita basis based on population.
"We want to do more to bring good businesses to North Fulton, but it is a competitive world out there," Cheatham said.
Beach made it clear no city would receive preferential treatment in recruiting businesses.
"When someone decides to bring his company anywhere in North Fulton, we have all won," he said.
But at the June 19 Municipal Association meeting, the mayors were lukewarm about the prospect of asking their respective councils for more money right at budget time.
Not surprisingly, the iciest responses came from the largest cities, Sandy Springs and Roswell. Roswell Mayor said his council would not consider it.
"My city council is not funding anything at the moment," Wood said.
Sandy Springs Mayor Eva Galambos said she didn't like the idea of funding a chamber position when she has two chambers of commerce representing her city.
Only Johns Creek Mayor Mike Bodker spoke openly in support of the proposal. He called the North Fulton Chamber a "powerhouse" that would be able to recruit businesses that would raise the tax base and reduce the burden on residential taxpayers.
"I don't think one city would benefit more than another," Bodker said. "We have two chambers also, but one has no economic development arm."
Alpharetta Mayor Arthur Letchas said his city – like the others – was caught up at the end of the budgeting process. He called the timing "strenuous."
Milton Mayor Joe Lockwood was also brutally honest about the proposal.
"I'll be happy to take this to my city council, but their economic policy is to just say no," he said.
Wood said he would support the proposal, but only if the funding were based on the amount of commercial development already in the cities, not population.
"Those are the cities that will benefit most," said Wood.
Roswell is about 80 percent residential, so it therefore would pay much less than Sandy Springs or Alpharetta.
"But my council wouldn't even approve that," he said.
The chamber folks were asked to come back after budgets were done.
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Funding for Economic Developer
The Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce is asking the cities to fund a North Fulton position on a per capita basis based on the ARC 2007 population. Here is the breakdown:
Alpharetta – $42,175
Johns Creek – $46,833
Milton – $23,782
Roswell – $67,191
Sandy Springs – $70,019 | |
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